Connection
by breathinghard
Summary: It's quiet without Yashiro around, lonely without his silly smile to give company. Kuroh wasn't ready to say goodbye, neither of them were. Neither of them are. Kuroh/Shiro


Yashiro was - is - the second person to stir his heart. The second person he devoted himself to. The first and only person he fell for. Kuroh still thinks Yashiro is an irresponsible, careless, carefree airhead, but he has never wished for the reassurance of someone else's existence before.

Neko keeps saying Yashiro is alive - Shiro is a king! - and Kuroh wants to believe her. But there is the fragment of doubt skittering in his mind and it's tiny, incessant presence keeps him awake at night.

_Yashiro is the kind of person you worry will disappear at any moment._ Kuroh thinks that concern is one of the few truths he knows of Yashiro - he left to get Kukuri off the island and five minutes later he feels Yashiro's presence disappear with a white light.

A white light, too far gone. Kuroh wishes he had been able to grasp it, wishes he had been able to grasp the ethereal boy. But with all the power in the world, he would still be unable to turn back time, grab Yashiro's hand and leave the island with him – though, it may not have worked out that way.

That smile, the one Yashiro flashed when they met. The one he flashed while talking himself out of each of Kuroh's assaults, the one he flashed while calling Kuroh creepy, the one he flashed while Kuroh spoke to him for the last time. That smile is gone too.

Yashiro is the Silver king. The first king, the eternal invulnerability. His existence could not have been extinguished, he's invulnerable.

Then again, Kuroh knows he had affected the easygoing boy from the moment they met.

Neko's still asleep and Kuroh's still awake, staring at a dark dyed sky littered with glitter. He gets the feeling Yashiro would have liked to stargaze with him, he gets the feeling Yashiro would chatter happily about many a frivolous thing and Kuroh would find it all sorts of adorable - not that he would have said it.

In an attempt to retain what little of Yashiro he has left, Kuroh will continue to call himself Yashiro's vassal, his knight. And Yashiro, his king, from then and evermore. Kuroh doesn't have time to doubt who he is, and if Yashiro were here he would surely be wearing that silly smile of his as Kuroh finally succumbs to exhaustion.

The first thing he takes note of is a floating sensation. The last time he felt it was when Yashiro synced him with his Aura. He hasn't used it since then, it didn't feel right to use it without Yashiro's giddy chortling beside him.

But he's not using it, Kuroh's sure he's asleep right now.

There's light laughter and Kuroh spins, off balance, to gaze at its source. And its source is ethereal, opalescent, feels like it will disappear at any moment. Yashiro is still holding that red parasol, and he is still wearing his silly smile.

"I had no idea you would miss me so much, Kuroh."

Even now Kuroh can't bring himself to say it, but Yashiro's smile holds more secrets with each passing moment and Kuroh gets the feeling Yashiro knows. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Yashiro's smile widens and Kuroh finds it too dazzling to focus on. "Then there was no need for me to come meet you, right?"

Yashiro's smarter than he lets on, he can get exactly what he wants given enough time, and it's even easier for him when it comes to Kuroh. Because Kuroh is direct, if he wants Yashiro to stay he will take hold of him and force him to stay. Even if that force is in the form of a too tight hug that is too awkward coming from Kuroh, but it's okay. "You're so irresponsible," Kuroh doesn't know what else to say.

With a familiar, clear laugh, Yashiro pats Kuroh's back, "Sorry, sorry. I'm still working on that," and lets a comfortable silence linger for a while. "You know, we'll both have to go back soon."

Kuroh's grip tightens, he's usually composed but if Yashiro were to disappear after so long he doubts he would be able to keep that composure. Because Yashiro is the first and only person he will fall for. "Just a little while longer, please."

There's a stuttering breath and Kuroh's able to glance at Yashiro's misty eyes before the shorter boy buries his face into Kuroh's shoulder, drops his parasol to grip at Kuroh in a way that says _I'm sorry, I still like you, I'm sorry_.

And Kuroh hugs him tighter, they still have two hours left and that will be enough for tonight. Even if Kuroh feels worn by sunrise and Neko's persistent questions go on throughout the day, it'll be okay. Because Kuroh may not be the first, but he is the only person Yashiro truly fell for, and Kuroh can appreciate the dreamlike sentiment.


End file.
